Making a Choice
by Senpai-Hibari-san
Summary: 2 12 years. It has been that long and Sakura has thought about Sasuke and how he was, but what happens when she makes the choice to leave him behind. Sakura POV and LeeSaku Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
1. Chapter 1

**Making a Choice**

**Chapter One:**

**Is it...?**

**2 1/2 years...**

**Had it really been that long already? The one person she once called her friend, her teammate, her...crush. Was gone...though she knew that one day they just had to bring him home, they just had to. By they she meant her and her other teammate whom at one time she found annoying, but as time went on she realized that he was more then a loudmouth idoit, that he was someone that truly understood her, if even he was still an idoit. Though, it had not been that long since she saw him for the 1st time in the 2 1/2 years she spent training with the Hokage, to attain the medical skills and strength that she now possed. This was it, she would help her teammate, with her newly attained skills, and find thier friend and bring him home. Well...once the place that was his home and it was where he belonged. Not somewhere with a "person" that was evil and was only trying to take away his very being in this world. She grabbed her shoulders and looked down, she was not going to cry for that showed weakness and she was not the 12-13 year old girl that she used to be. She was now 15 and had matured greatly. True she would still get upset from time to time and cry alone in her room or training area, but she never let it bring her down. She kept thinking that one day...just one day...just one hope...just one dream...to be made reality would happen someday and he would be there...Uchiha Sasuke.**

**X-X-X**

**(Farther into the future)**

**The Haruno crashed to her feet as she could not believe how much her "friend" had changed. He was about ready to kill Naruto and she was about to give him a piece of her mind, but being stopped only made things worse. She took her delicate hands still in her gloves and held them close to her heart. For the 1st time in a long time she began to cry, but she quickly wiped the tears away...crying was not going to bring the Uchiha home.**

**X-X-X**

**(The Present)**

**The sun was shining brightly that morning it was seeming like it would be a better day then what it had been lately, considering it rained the last three days and walking around the village in the rain tended to get anyone muddy. Sakura walked around the center of the village, taking a nice refreshing walk before heading to Tsunade-samas office. The day was looking great already, hopefully everything would be just fine.**

**As she continuted her walk she noticed Sai at the libaray once again. She was wondering what he was reading up on this time. What could he possibaly be learning this time? She sliently walked over to the libaray and quietly went over to Sai. Smiling she looked down at the book he was reading. It was talking about mannors at the dinnertable. Sakura gave a odd look and sweatdropped, "Ummm hello Sai." Looking up from his book he gave a slight smile, not to much, after all he rarely showed any emotion even now he rarely ever did. He normally smiled around Naruto, but that was it, "Sakura..." She looked at him, "I see you are reading more up on what you need to do and stuff. I thought you had mannors at the dinnertable though..." Sai gave a periecing look as he spoke, "More things...things have changed since I last actually sat down to eat a meal with someone." Sakura nodded. This was true. She acutally couldn't even image the last time that Sai probally sat down and ate a meal with someone. Oh well. She then walked off and waved, "See ya later, Sai!" Then a bunch of people told her to tone her voice down and she sluched and walked out.**

**Taking a deep breath Sakura put her head up and walked towards the Hokages office. It was time to get ready for the days work. She figured that she would have something to do with possibly going to help out at the Hospital. Lately there had been a lot more people injured then normal, almost as many as when the village had the war with the Sand and Sound villages about 3 years ago. She gave a slight shake, she didn't even want to think of the village going into another war, the fact that Sasuke was still gone was enough, but adding a war to the village would be enough to severly leave her frusted and paranoid. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door of the Hokages office. She figured she would get a little yelled at considering that now looking at the time she was about 15 mintues late.**

**"Come in!"**

**Sakura opened the door to see, Tsunade, Shizune, Naruto, and Jiraiya all standing in a somewhat circle as if they had been talking on a HUGE seroius level. Sakura walked over nonchalantly and looked at them. Nodding her head as a response of saying she was sorry she was late. Hopefully she would not get her head chewed off after all, she was never really late for anything and espically now. She in truth felt like an idiot for being late in the first place. Turning around Tsunade gave a slight glare, "Sakura...WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Sakura flinched, but regained herself and looked at her superoir, "I was taking a walk and got psytracted I will not allow it to happen again, I promise!" Sakura nodded her head as her pink-colored hair fell down a bit in front of her face and her headband slipped from its position on the top of her head. Tsunade leaned back, "Alright, but next time watch your time I would have expected better from you of all people Haruno Sakura." Nodding once more Sakura spoke, "Sorry to upset you Tsunade-sama. Never again will let it happen." She quickly fixed her headband and hair and looked back at the Hokage. Complelely sitting in her chair Tsunade looked at everyone that was in the room, "Alright, let's get back to what we were talking about to begin with. The issue with Sasuke..." Sakura's eyes gave a shocked look. They had been talking about the one person that she had still wanted back in this village. She clenched her fist and put it towards her chest, but kept total focus on everyone else and the conversation.**

**Looking over towards the others Jiraiya decided to give his response in, "I think that you should go with what you were telling me ealier, Tsunade. It seems like a good way for these two to actually calm down for a little while and then be ready for the next time that he is spotted." Naruto slammed his hand on the desk, "What are you talking about Ero-sannin? What did Granny Tsunade say?" Jiraiya rolled his eyes, "You're just as persisent as ever, aren't you Naruto?" Shifting his eyes Naruto spoke up, "Or course I want to know what the heck you two are hiding!" Tsunade shifted her eyes between her fromer teammate and the knucklehead that she grew to be fond of, "Alright, both of you shut up. The thing is I believe that you and Sakura should give up on the whole Sasuke thing for about a couple weeks." Before Sakura or Naruto had a chance to respond to what she said to them she raised her hand, "I'm not done. Now, I understand that we need to find him and bring him back, but you two also need to try to live your lives on your own and not worry about Sasuke all the time. Naruto, you just stay with Team Kakashi along with Kakashi, of course, Sai and Sakura. Sakura like I said to Naruto you do the same. For the next few weeks you will have missions that will assciate with your rank, though Naruto I am giving you Chuunin level missions, because you are diffrently at the level of a chuunin or higher. Any questions? And before you say anything I do not want to hear them have to do with Sasuke." With the last part said Naruto nor Sakura said anything. How the heck were they suppose to just forget about Sasuke? It was a lot easier said then done. He was once on thier team did she not understand that? "But, Tsuande-sama Sas..." "SAKURA! I said nothing about Sasuke. I already know what you are gonna say. I know he was on your team, but I am sorry. You need this break for your own well being. If you think I don't understand think again...remember Orochimaru was my teammate back in the day, and looked what happened to him." Sakura and Naruto gave a shocked look. How could they have both forgotten that? It was almost the same situation though she had gotten over it, but was that only because both Jiraiya and Tsunade knew that Orochimaru was totally evil...what if...what if Sasuke was to turn out the same way? Sakura shook, but then got ahold of herself, "Alright Tsunade-sama I will try my hardest to do this." Tsunade gave a smile, "Good job, and you Naruto?" The blonde-haired genin had been standing there clenching his fist, "Alright...but for this 2 weeks and then it is back to trying to figure out what he is up to." "Good. Now I have scheduled that you both just have the day to yourselves. You're "missions" will start to tommorrow. Good day." She then turned her chair and looked out the window. Oh how the day was going by so slowly.**

**"Tsunade. I am going to get some important business done. I will talk to you later." Jiraiya waved Tsunade off and left. His business was nothing more then getting more and more ideas for the next segment of his Icha Icha series. He figured he could probally get enough research for a 4th one, probally by the next year or so. Though this was going to be on the greatest days of his life. Hey he was getting old already fifty-three said a lot. He was only going to get older so might as well have his fun...errr buissness while he still could, right?**

**X-X-X**

**The day to herself huh? Sakur took a deep breath. No talk about Sasuke for a full two weeks. Didn't Tsunade ever think that it would make her worry more, that she wasn't allowed to worry or talk about him? Sakura gave a odd look, that was just a bit messed up. She was worrying over worrying. Alright...she took another deep breath and headed back to her house. She figured she would find something to do there.**

**"Sakura-chan!"**

**She gave a aggervated look, but in truth she wasn't mad that Naruto called out to her it was just he totally made her lose her train of thought, though she figured that wasn't nessiarly a bad thing. She quickly turned around to see Naruto running towards her. She put on a smile and began to walk towards him, "What is it Naruto?" Catching his breath once he made it to her he smiled, "Wanna go get some ramen?" She smiled, "Sure, but you are paying." Naruto smiled, "Just like last time huh? Well I don't mind it at all Sakura-chan." She gave a smile, "Good." They then headed to the ramen shop to go get a delious mid-day dinner. It was only about 2 PM and by the time they would probally be done knowing Naruto it would be about 3:30 or so. Hopefully it would be a great mid-day dinner. Hopefully it would clear thier minds of thier once known teammate...Uchiha Sasuke.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Making a Choice**

**Chapter 2**

**Haunting Memories**

**Walking towards the ramen shop, Sakura gave a deep breath well this day was to start her time of not thinking of Sasuke. Naruto was a handful already as it was, but he was not the worst person that she could have been around that was for sure. There were pently of other people that she would rather not be around at the moment. So yeah, Naruto was alright. She another deep breath and proceeded to reach the ramen shop.**

**Sitting down Naruto looked over at Sakura who was beginning to sit down herself. Once seated Sakura noticed that the seat was a bit cold, but not that bad. It gave her a slight chill and then she was fine. Looking over at a menu that had nothing, but just diffrent types of ramen she was debating on what to have, but the Miso Pork Ramen sounded alright to her. Naruto looked over at her with a smile, "So Sakura-chan what is that you will be having today?" She looked over, "I decided the Miso Pork Ramen." Naruto's eyes blinked, "Really? I was going to have the same." Sakura gave a slight chuckle and looked at the Ramen Shop owner. Smiling Teuchi looked over at Ayame, "Well, I guess that means that we make two bowls of Miso Pork ramen then." Ayame smiled and closed her eyes, "I guess so." They then went to make thier ramen.**

**Sakura put her cheek in her hand and began tapping the table. She was a bit bored, but she was able to wait. She wanted a little bit of noise to lighten up the quiet. It really only bothered her a little, but still. Naruto looked over, "Sakura-chan? Something wrong?" Before Sakura even thought to answer she thought of him...Uchiha Sasuke. She knew that she wasn't suppose to, but she couldn't help it, this so-called mission or whatever was going to be a lot harder then probally Tsuande-sama thought, but that didn't mean that Sakura was going to give in to it either. She just kept thinking of that one day over and over again. Sasuke changed so much...too much in fact, but regardless she still cared about him just as she always had. She still wanted to find him after all. But! Right now she needed to shake the thoughts off even if she wanted to think about them. Taking a deep breath she turned to Naruto, "No...I'm fine." She smiled and turned back around to see that thier ramen was ready to be served. Ayame sat a bowl in front of both Sakura and Naruto. Naruto sniffed it and was ready to chow down at the sound of his chop-sticks breaking, "Time to dig in!" He then proceeded to eat it. Heck he loved his ramen. Sakura was a bit more slow and broke her shop-sticks effectivly, but slower then she really needed to and then she slowly began to eat it.**

**About, 15 mintues later Sakura had finished to where as Naruto was on his 3rd bowl. She gave a glarey look at him, "You sure you have enough money to pay for all that?" Naruto stopped midway through eating his recent bite. That was a good question did he? He quickly checked. Phew...he had enough for the three bowls that he ate. "Yup Sakura-chan I have enough for every bowl I ate." Glaring once more Sakura looked at him, "What about mine?" The blonde-haired genin froze...that was a good question. He really should have been watching what he was eating, but it was so good that he couldn't help it. "Well..." Ayame gave a giggle, "The last one that you had can be on the house...Teuchi said so." Naruto quickly wiped his forehead and sat back down. Phew...he was safe for now. He quickly finsihed his last bowl and paid for his 1st two and Sakuras. He was hoping that it was being considered a date and he almost blew it.**

**Sakura got up and saw Naruto realived that he was about to pay for hers. She was surly hoping that he wasn't taking thier time together a date. That was the farthest thing from her mind at the moment. She wanted to tell him that it wasn't a date, but she didn't want to upset him at the same time, and so she quickly turned to him and took a deep breath and began to speak, "Naruto...I wanted to tell you thank you for buying my meal, but I want you to know this was just a day to get away from you know who, and I hope that you were not thiking we were on a date or anything, because that is not the case, but again thank you." Naruto gave a shocked look, but he was not totally surprised, "Sakura-chan...I understand. I thought this would be good for you and well as me. I mean I wasn't thinking it was a date the whole time..." Sakura smiled, "Thanks." She knew that he was trying to be nice, and so she just left it the way it was.**

**"So, Sakura-chan what do you want to do now?" Naruto peeked his blue eyes over to his kounchi teammate. She looked over, "I'm not sure it is almost four 'o clock." "That's true...hmmmm." Sakura had decided that maybe she needed some time to herself, but she didn't want to be rude, "Naruto...not to be rude or anything, but I would like to somewhere else and clear my mind if that is alright with you? What I mean is I want to be alone for awhile." Naruto smiled, "Of course, then I will see you tommorrow for our mission then, right?" She nodded, "Right." "Catch ya later then Sakura-chan!" He then ran off to go do whatever it was that he wanted to do. Leaving Sakura to herself to do what she wanted.**

**X-X-X**

**Exhaling a extended deep breath, Sakura looked up at the sky. Her eyes giving a pleading look as she pictured the day being perfect. In her vision there was a festival going on in the village. Everyone was there, the Hokage, Tsuande, was hosting it. There was games, competitions, food, items to buy, and much more. Sakura grabbed Naruto and Sasuke and had them come with her. Naruto was pleased and even though Sasuke was a bit disgusted he decided to go anyway. Though he probally wouldn't do much, but particape in the fighting tornament that was going on that day. Smiling Sakura turned to Sasuke and asked if he wanted to play some of the games...upon saying no...he slowly began to fade away. Going farther and farther away from her. She began to cry and ran towards him, "SASUKE! Please come back! Where are you going?" Just as those last few words escape her quivering mouth...she saw Orochimaru...and then Sasuke faded and there was no trace of him.**

**Comming back to her senses her eyes began to shake rapidly back and forth. She hadn't had a thought like that in a long time. She grew up from that, but still not being able to think about Sasuke was hard. She guessed that since she was told not to think of him it made it that much harder not to. She grasped her hands together and walked her way home.**

**X-X-X**

**Once in her room she spotted a notebook that she had written all her personal thoughts in...it was like her diary. She decided to look back at some of the memories that she kept close to her.**

**She read an entry that was from her young childhood, the writting was a little harder to read back then(do to some somewhat bad writting and misspelled words), but she was able to figure it out.**

**Dear Diary: Today I met a girl her name was Yamanaka Ino. She was pretty and very nice. She has told me she has somthing(something) for me twomarrow(tommorrow). I am not sure what it is...BUT! I CAN NOT WAIT! I bet it is somthing(something) very cool. She was actuawally(actually) the frist(first) persson(person) that realee(really) noteiced(noticed) me for me. I need to thank her twomarrow(tommorrow). Well diary good night. - Haruno Sakura**

**Sakura gave a slight laugh, "I remember that day. I was so excited to see what Ino had for me, and when I got the ribbon I was confused, but she helped me to become stronger. I thank Ino so much for that." Flipping through her diary more she noticed the times that she talked about Sasuke...it was almost every entry, untill the Chuunin Exams...and after she cut her hair. She then began to talk about him a little less and not as much as a fangirl, but more as a human being. Before it was always. Oh my gosh! Sasuke is so hot! But, that wasn't how her entries went after the Forest of Death incident.**

**Dear Diary: The Chuunin Exams as I said were a total mind breaker. It was an expericence that I am both glad I went through and for the most part somewhat wish I hadn't. Though, once I was glad that I went for was I learned what it meant to go and stand on ones own feet and to protect the ones that you really care about. If I haded thought about what I did back in the Forest of Death I am sure that both Sasuke and Naruto would be dead by now. Possible also Lee. Which reminds me. I know that Sasuke and Lee are in the Hospital. I need to get them both a flower and give it to them. I really want Lee to know much I appreciated what he did for me. I still can't believe that the little werido...well no he's not a werido...I still can't believe that Rock Lee made a promise to me like he did and he kept it. I respect him for the gentlemen that he is, and that is why I am giving him a flower. I just hope that both Lee and Sasuke are doing better.**

**Then there's the whole fight with Ino...I know we recindled our frienship. We had to...and even though it ended in a tie everything I knew that I gotten a bit stronger from the whole expericnce. Though watching Sasuke and that mark...I'm so worried about it. I hope hes alright. Then there was Lee losing to that Gaara person...he looked like he was hurt realy bad I just hope he gets a quick recovery. Well, journal as much as I wanna continue I have said a lot of this in other entries and it is getting late. I have a mission I have to get to in the morning...even though I am the only one going to be in it. A real easy one, that really I would only need to do anyways. Well goodnight diary. - Haruno Sakura**

**The memory of that dang curse mark made Sakura shed a few tears. She remembered when it was given to him, when it went out of control, when he lost control, and everything. She knew he still had it and she was wondering if he was relying on the power of it to become stronger. After seeing him that last time...she wasn't sure what to believe anymore. Well, the memories of that curse mark haunted her and with it in her head it was hard to sleep. What was Tsunade-sama going to think. Sakura knew better then to let "petty" things upset her, but Sasuke to both her and Naruto was not a petty issue. He was thier teammate and thier friend. Though, still starting tommorrow she was not going to let Sasuke bother her. It was the start of her time away from Sasuke...compeletly. She then turned over and her bed, and covered herself up. As a few more tears began to shed...she quickly drifted off to sleep.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Making a Choice**

**Chapter 3**

**Meeting the Mark**

**The next morning seemed as though it had some promise. Sakura was replenished and ready for the day. Yesterday was in the past, she couldn't change it, but she could work on changing her future. This was it! She would try her up most hardest not to go agaist what Tsunade-sama had told her and Naruto. She gave a long deep breath, and looked up towards the sky. She had a mission today, so she knew that it would help clear her mind even more. She then quickly ran to Tsunades office to meet Naruto, Kakashi, and...well Sai.**

**"Sakura-chan! You made it!" Naruto smiled at his teammate. This day was defintly going to be a great one. Even if Naruto was going to be the annoying pest that he normally was. She looked at him and smiled, "Yeah, I did like abour a couple mintues early to." She put her arms behind her and shifted to the side. Looking over and seeing Kakashi sitting down reading up on Icha Icha Tatics. She was surprised that he hadn't finsihed it yet. She knew that he had it since Naruto had returned to the village. Oh well, maybe he just liked a good story and to savor it he read it slow. Turning to the other side she saw Sai. He was just looking out into the distance. He showed no emotion as usual and when the wind began to blow his hair blew with it. He was so myseroius in his own way. Even though she knew a few things about him, he still seemed like a compelte mystery.**

**"Alright, the Hokage gave me intructions on the fact that we need to go to a neighboring village and retrive just a few scrolls from it. Sounds easy right? Well it is not as easy as you may think. Reason being there may be enemies to our village on our way. If so they will not hesitate to try and assanate you. I believe that we should stay together in a group. What I mean is that one person is in front, two are behind that one side-by-side, and then another behind them. That makes to where the one in front can look ahead, the two behind him/her will look to the left and right depending on what side they are on, and of course the one in back needs to be aware of what is going on behind the group," Kakashi explained as he put his book away and looked at his "team". Naruto gave a big smile, "This should be great. I really do love missions like this. The bigger the diffculty the funnier it is to me. Though, any mission that we would have gotten would have been fine." The knuckle head proceeded to nod his head up and down. Sakura gave a glare and slight disgusted look, "Sure...Naruto keep on fooling not only other people, but yourself as well." She rolled her eyes and looked away. "Sakura-chan..." Naruto turned. Now he did it...Sakura seemed mighty upset. Oh well, there really wasn't much that he could say now that would make her less upset...well maybe a few things. "Well, Sakura-chan you look nice today?" Naruto gulped hoping that he at least redeemed himself for now. She smiled. Naruto was surely looking like a fool, and it was funny, but she couldn't sit there and allow him to do it in front of Kakashi and Sai to much longer. "Thank you, Naruto..." She looked over at Kakashi, "I understand your plan by the way, but who is going where?" Kakashi gave a nod, "Well, I figure the best root would be that most attackers come from the back and front views, right?" Naruto and Sakura nodded, "Right!" "Well, in that case I believe that me and Sai are best suited for those postions. Sai is somewhat quick on response and mostly likly would be able to notice any ninja following in the back. So that is where he will go. As for me like I said I am taking the front, not only because of running into other ninja, but because I know exactly where we are going and the quickest way to get there. So, now Sakura and Naruto that leaves you two in the middle. Just out of random I have decided that Naruto you will have the left and Sakura you will have the right. Naruto your fighting style is defintly one that no one else could copy and plus you are able to make your shadow clones into quite a deservtion at times. I have to assume that with all your training with Jiraiya you have gotten even better and that will work towards an advantage. Now, Sakura you are the medic in this whole mission. We need to make sure that you do not get injured and if you do not to bad, which is why it is best that we put in the middle. It makes it more difficult for an enemy to attack you. Now that, that is settled. I think we can leave and go on our mission." Smiling Kakashi turned to head out of the village. "Alright!" Naruto ran over and so did Sakura and Sai. **_**"Hopefully, we do not run into any enemies I just want a realaxing mission...though I got a bad feeling that is probobally not going to happen...that would just be my luck anyway..." **_**Sakura held her fist up agaist her chest and continued toward the entrace of the village.**

**X-X-X**

**Once everyone had made thier way to the entrance they assumbled in the way that Kakashi spoke and they were off. So far so good, not one thought of Sasuke crossed Sakura's mind...well not yet anyways.**

**"So, Sakura-chan how was yesterday after you left me?" Naruto gave a great big smile and looked over at Sakura. It was not to far from the village and he thought there might not be any type of ambush at the moment. Then again he proballby would have looked over at her anyway, because on most occaisons he probally would not of even thought twice about what he did. Sakura's eyes went down, but she looked up with a smile, "Fine...I just spent time looking through my stuff and cleaning my room." In truth, Sakura had lied to Naruto, but she didn't mean much of anything by it. She just was trying her hardest not to meantion the one person that they both extermly cared about. The blonde gave a smile and continued back to what he was assigned to do.**

**X-X-X**

**After about 500 jumps later the group found themsleves seeing some enemy ninja. There were not many, but enough that it might turn out ugly. The group surrounded themselves around Sakura. It was vital that Sakura not be injured due to the fact that she was the medic for the mission. Sai had his hand on the handle of his sword ready for a swift and quick attack. It would almost be deadly... Naruto had his hands in a way that it was not to noticable that he was about to use the Shadow Clone Jutsu. Kakashi had his hand ready in case was going to need to reveal his Sharingan underneath his eye. Sakura just stayed close in the middle. She knew she would not be able to go on the attack. As the ninja apporached they seemed to be a bit less stronger then what Team Kakashi thought, but then again if you undersetmate the opponant you could possibly end up dying.**

**One of the ninja, struck a fighting postion, while another lepted from a place that they had been hiding, "You thought you could hide didn't you? You...you outsiders. Now you must feel the wrath of..." Once the ninja had totally revealed themselves it was none other then a little kid, probally about the age of 8 or 9, " Satashi Mikataro!" It was also revealed that it was a young boy. All of Team Kakashi gave one big sweatdrop. This is what they were worried about? Then again there was the other, but they had quickly began to walk over, "Alright...Mikataro. They are not the ones that we want to fight. They are not your group of friends." When it was realeved that the person was in fact a girl probally about 16 or 17, Team Kakashi let down thier guard for the moment, but they were sure to cling on the fact that they might have to go on the attack at any moment. Bowing down the girl spoke, "I am so very sorry...you see we have been looking for his friends all day. And well he gets a little carried away when he is out playing ninja. I hope that we didn't bother you or anything..." The girl then looked back up and noticed the Leaf symbol on thier headbands...she knew they were the ones that were probally headed to her small village, the ones to retrive the scrolls.**

**"No not at all!" Sakura was the 1st to speak out of all of them, "We have dealt with problems like this before and so this is no problem." The girl gave a slight smile, "Thanks. By the way my name is Satashi Tarashi. Nice to meet you." Sakura returned a friendly smile as always and nodded, "Nice to meet you to. My name is Haruno Sakura, and these are my teammates. The leader with the grey hair is Hatake Kakashi, the one with the belly-shirt and black hair is Sai, and the one with the blonde-hair and blue-eyes...also somewhat annoying..." Naruto then slouched down... "Is Uzumaki Naruto." Tarashi smiled once more, "Nice to meet all of you. I couldn't help, but notice that you all are from the Village Hidden in the Leaves. We you four just so happen to be going to a small village not far from here to retrive some scrolls?" Her eyes had such cousrity in them, that it seemed as though if she was a cat that she would probally be dead. Kakashi looked over, "Yes, we are. I know that we are about walking distance from it by now are we not?" Tarashi nodded, "Yes." Naruto then looked at her, "Hey we saw a lot more ninja around in the shadows where are they?" Both Tarashi and Mikataro fell to the ground laughing, but Tarashi began to answer through each breath she got from laughing extermly hard, "That was...that was...that was...me...using...clones..." Naruto blinked. Why didn't he think of that as a solution? Sakura rolled her eyes, "I figured that out the mintue we saw the two of them, where the heck have you been?" Naruto looked over at Sakura, "Uhhh...well..." "I thought so." Rolling her eyes Sakura looked over at Tarashi once more, and then Kakashi spoke, "Well, come on everyone we need to get those scrolls before night fall, so we better hurray up." Nodding the team turned and went off to the village, as they waved Tarashi and Mikataro off.**

**X-X-X**

**Sakura gave a sigh of relief. Even though all the team saw was a bunch of surrounding shadows and it looked really bad, it actually really wasn't. That was the most anti-climatic thing that has happened to her since the incident with the squrriel in the Forest of Death in the 1st Chuunin exam that she partisapated in. "Hey Sakura-chan..." Putting her head up Sakura gave a surprised look, "Huh? Oh it was you Naruto...What is it you want?" Naruto gave a smile, "Well, I wanted to tell you that Kakashi-sensei said that we are almost to the village...I thought to wake you up from your dream world to tell you." Sakura was not sure weather or not to thank him or punch him. She got a fist ready, but she took a deep breath and put it back down, "Thank you..." Smiling Naruto nodded, "You're welcome Sakura-chan." Sakura slightly rolled her eyes and looked toward the front of her. She could see lights and small dots that seemed like people. This had to be it! They were almost to the village. This ment that the mission was about 1/2 over...well from the way she saw it at least.**

**As that got closer and closer they finally made there way to the village, that they were retrive the scrolls. Though it was nightfall and it would have been suicide to go and try to jump through the forest at time and so the team decided to stay there for the night and get the scrolls in the morning and then head back to thier home, of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Making a Choice**

**Chapter 4**

**Unexpected Visit**

**The next morning was a bit of a rude awaking, kids were screaming outside and causing all sorts of trouble. Sakura yawned and stood up, her hair messed up from her sleep last night and her eyes with bags under them from having a hard time getting to sleep. She slept about 3 hours at the most. She slightly ticked off that some annoying kids woke her up, but she needed to get up anyways and get ready to go get the scrolls with the team.**

**X-X-X**

**After getting dressed and walking out the door, Kakashi, Sai, and Naruto were standing by a tree waiting for Sakura. It had been only about a couple mintue wait while she quickly fixed her headband that she had accidently put off-sides and it was slipping so she went and fixed it so it would stay. Kakashi nodded to everyone and shifted his head towards a side to show them to follow him. They needed to see the quote on quote leader of the village...well he was more like the man that everyone went to for problems. There was really no leader to the village, but this man was someone that the village greatly respected as the semi-leader of the village.**

**"Hello, I see you are the four ninjas to whom were sent to retrive the scroll from our small village. We appreciate that you four would travel so far to get our scrolls so that they will not be in danger of getting stolen, " The "leader" of the village bowed his head, "Now, let me get them it will be just a moment or two." Sakura bowed her head to the kind man and so did Kakashi a bit, but Sai and Naruto stood there. Sakura elbowed the idoit, "Naruto...bow you knucklehead..." Naruto quickly bowed, and was shacking. He knew Sakura was a tad bit ticked off at him.**

**X-X-X**

**Comming back from getting the scrolls the man gave a smile, "Here you go...by the way my name is Sackahiro, the caretaker of this small village." Kakashi gave a slight smile, "Nice to meet you I am Hatake Kakashi, and these are Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Sai." Naruto and Sakura bowed there heads to Sackahiro and smiled. Sakahiro laughed, "No need to do that, I do not require you to bow to me." They blinked, "Really?" They questioned in unison. Smiling Sackahiro put his head up, "Really. I am not really a leader and even if I think bowing is a sense of over powering someone. If you are equals you should shake hands or something that is nicer rather then bowing, but when you bow does it not look as though you are about to kneal?" Sakura thought about what the man said he was right, you are level with someone when you shake hands, but when you kneal it is though it is almost degrading to the other person. Nodding her head she responded, "Yes I understand what you mean now." She then proceeded to shake his hand. Sackahiro laughed once again, "I also was trying to test you four, because I do not to be giving my scrolls to strangers who would use them agaist our small village. They are scrolls that are important to the only clan that has been living here since the village began. Inside is there jutsu and it must not get into the wrong hands. It is the Roshebo clan thats secrets lie in those scrolls. But! I believe you guys are the real deal you match the descriptions of what I got about you guys so well that I would be a fool not to believe that you were the real deal." Kakashi smiled, "Thank you." The "leader" then handed them the two scrolls, "Take care of these. Once we know the enemy that has been trying to take them, we will get back to your village to tell you and once they are gone we will send someone to get them back." Kakashi nodded, "Of course." He then took the scrolls and looked at the others, "Time to head back to the village. Now that we have these it might end up a little harder then last time so assemble in the same formation that we already used before and lets head back home." Sakura and Naruto nodded. Sai stood there. He knew what he was to do, and as usaual he showed no emotion towards it, but a fake smile and turned around.**

**The team assembled back into the formation they previously used and began to head back home. The village watched as the brave ninja left thier village to return back home withe the scrolls they had obtained from them. With one last wave the team set off to get back home.**

**X-X-X**

**After about 1/2 an hour of jumping threw the forest the team noticed some rustling in the bushes and stopped abruptly. The team surronded Sakura and carefully looked over, only to have a ninja jump out and attack them head on. With Sai's quick reflexes he deflected the attack brought on them with his sword, and was having a sword/kunai fight with this unknown person, who didn't have a headband and so thus couldn't have been a ninja. His outfit was simlar to Sais, but without the belly shirt and his vest was red. He also had a red band around his forehead. Two other people appeared from behind and attacked Kakashi and Naruto. Quickly thinking Naruto made Shadow Clones to guard around Sakura. They couldn't take even the slightest chance that she would get attacked by anyone. She was the medic and they couldn't risk her safety. Kakashi relvaled his Sharingan from underneath his headband and Naruto made more clones to deflect the attack brought on him. Kakashi quickly used a clone jutsu to switch places with a the clone so he would not get hurt, but one of the people threw a kunai at Kakshi only to find that it was a subtitution jutsu. "Dangit." The two people jumped back and reveled themselves. One man was dressed in pants that were semi-baggy, but still able to be lifted off the ground bit a little bit. He then wore a black shirt with a red vest and had a band tied around his head. Looking at him almost made Naruto think that he was like playing ninja or something. He had to hold himself back from laughing. The other man really just had nothing much that was that speical. He was wearing a black cloak type thing over a white shirt, with blackish pants. But, before anything else happened he took of his cloak. Though he two gas a band tied to his forehead, it was red just like his partners. They were simply regular people from some village and apparently had never became ninja. But, that didn't mean that they didn't lack the skills of ninja. The three men were about equal in fighting ablity to them and were ready for the attack. Stepping back a few steps they began to reveal a hidden scroll they had that summoned a bunch of weapons in diffrent directions. Some of which went near Sakura, but Naruto jumped in front and allowed some of them to hit him and the others he made shadow clones to block them. Then again maybe these guys weren't all that great. Then again they still couldn't afford to undersestimate them.**

**Sakura watched as her teammates were going on the attack. She kept in the center of the clones hoping they would get out of this mess. It didn't seem like it would be to hard, but then again she had her upmost faith in them. She then clenched her hand and put up to her heart as she watched as her team was still on the attack. She was glad that they were only three of them, because if there had been anymore she would have had a fight on her hands, and if she got hurt then her job as a medic-nin would prove useless.**

**Sai still kept his fight going on with the man with the kunai, though now he had two that he was using as if he was holding a full blown sword. Sai carefully tried to figure out what the heck the guy was up to and came up with a conclusion. He must have some type of Chakra build up in his kunai to make them like swords, but the fact that it wasn't visable showed Sai how tricky and talented his oppant truly was. Though now realizing his oppants secret he contiuned to fight. He had pently of Chakra left in reserve to use with his ink, but this mans should be running out soon and when it did Sai would finish him off.**

**Kakashi had ended up getting his fight taken by a river stream sort of far from the rest of the team and the oposing people. He pulled out a kunai and looked straight at his oppant, "I have a few questions for you." The man snickered, "And answer me this...why I should I answer?" Kakashi kept his cool and replied by saying, "Because it would only be common curisty, but I see you are not that type and so I guess we do this the hard way." Kakashi bent down and began to do some hand signs and began to charge up his Chidori. He was using it more as a way to get the man to talk and judging by the quivering look on the mans face it seemed like it might actually work. The man stood making sure he was looking at Kakashi right. Though he realized it was a big ball of lighting or something and was not about to be killed, "Alright I will tell you!" He then fell to his knees begging for his life. The sliver-haired ninja approached the man, "You truly are patheic aren't you?" He gave a closed eyed smile, "Now what are you going to me?" The man stood on his knees, "My name is Kerio I am a simple villager of a village not far from here. I was never trained to be a ninja, but me and my friends helped each other to learn the basics of being a ninja and then discovered our talents from then on. So we are not offically ninja. My buddies names are Sar, the one fighting the yellowed haired kid, and Davao is the one fighting the kid with the sword. We acutally were trying to get the scroll of our neighboring village, because it seems thier village has prospered more then ours, so we thought if we stole thier secrets we could have a better life style. I was always the one in our group who didn't want to be a part of it, but I was forced into by my friends, because the idea was just to good for them to realize that they shouldn't have done it." Kakashi nodded his head, "Well, I see why you are comming from, but I can not just allow this bahavior to go on. You must leave the village alone or you and your "buddies" will suffer diere consquences. You hear me?" Kerio nodded his head up and down while shaking, "Yes I do. We just attacked you guys thinking you had the scrolls of the village, but it seemed that maybe someone else took them. Sorry for causing trouble I will call my buddies off and we will be gone." "Wait! I mean it you guys try anything else and our village is contacted we will be back to take care of you guys." Kerio kept walking he was sick of the whole thing he just wanted to go home, "Sar! Davao! Come on they do not have the scrolls so we can leave." Sar and Davao jumped over towards Kerio and stood by him. Sai and Naruto watched to make sure no sudden moves were made and watched as they just walked off. Naruto blinked, "Ummm I don't get it they were after the scrolls and stuff, they attack us, they won't leave, and then the one guy says on thing and they leave? Makes no sense what so ever." Kakashi took a deep breath, "Naruto sometimes people do things for thier own reasons. Weather it be to help someone they care about, maybe to get something that will help themselves, or trade everything they know and love for power. Regardless peoples actions are based on thier desires and that is why they left." Naruto smiled, "I see now. I thought it might of has a little something to do with that."**

**Upon hearing the conversation that Naruto and Kakashi had Sakura gasped. The thing he said reminded her of Sasuke, and it was there that she couldn't get him out of her mind. He was her friend and Tsunade-sama had to understand that she was trying her hardest, but it was just to much for her take in all at once. Though she took a deep breath and tried clearing her head. Smiling she looked over at the team as Narutos Clones disappaered where she was, "Hey, we got through that are we ready to leave Kakashi?" He nodded while putting his headband back over his Sharingan, he was lucky that he didn't over use it this time, and then they headed back home.**

**X-X-X**

**They arrived about 8 that night and after a visit to Tsunade to tell her about the mission, Sakura waved everyone off and went home. She thought about all that the day had brought her at least she would have been able the team if they needed her seeing as how she never got into a fight or got hurt. She thought that she succeeded in something. She then looked up at the sky, it was pretty dark by now and the walk home was still a little ways. She just decided to take a deep breath and clear her mind. The day was a trip from heck and back that was for sure. She then smiled thinking that she was able to aid in helping save a villages secrets by helping retrive the scrolls. She smiled once again at the thought of not really thinking of Sasuke that much. It really was amazing to her that she was able to do it. Could it be that she was growing away from him? She sighed and then darted home.**

**  
X-X-X**

**Sakura was in her bed having a bunch of flashbacks of diffrent times with Team 7. She laughed at some, cried at some, and even got a little ticked at some, but none the less she was happy that she could have a well balance of memories. With happy thoughts in her head she slowly drifted off to sleep.**


End file.
